flavorful les paul

[alex1fly]

I just bought an Epi Les Paul Custom and it rocks... I finally have that beef and chunk I've been wanting! Of course, I'll HAVE to replace the pickups. I play rock, jazz, punk, funk, ska, and I mainly play rhythm as opposed to lead. I definately want vintage output- my mesa roadster has tons of shaping and gain, plus I want that technique to come out :banana:

I like the stock bridge, the only improvement I'd make to it would be a little more clarity but I like the sound so I was thinking... 59b? Or perhaps a 57? Clarity and roundness of tone is what I want, but I can't go with the Seths or Antiquities due to my higain screamer of an amp.

The neck pickup, while it sounds good for leads, is way to bassy and mushy in the lows. Classic problem... you can eq it out but then the bridge pup sounds bad! From everything I've read about the JazzB it sounds like what I want... PAF sound but more clear, a little brighter, and more articulate/tight.

My goal is to have two pickups that work well together not as a rhythm/lead pair, but as two rhythm pickups, so that I can dial in the four EQed/gained tones I want (the mesa has 4 channels) and then switch between pickups for different "flavors" of the tone.

I love the tone of the LP so I want to color it as little as possible in the bridge and just brighten/clean up the neck. Will the 59b/JazzB in the neck be everything I want it to be? YOU DECIDE! :reporter:

alex

 

[jimijames]

Re: flavorful les paul

Well, if you like the sound of the bridge you can always get more clairity by upgrading the electronics of your les paul. RS guitarworks makes one of the best electronics upgrade kits, but GFS makes a quality one that's alot cheaper. However, with the GFS upgrade kit comes with ceramic caps, so you'd have to order higher quality ones (you can get orange drops on their site as well). By upgrading the pots and caps, you should get that clarity you're looking for in the bridge. In addition, the upgrade kit should help with the bassiness of the neck pickup. After you install the upgraded electronics kit, just play around with the guitar. If you still think that you would like to change the neck pickup for something less bassy, I would recommend either the jazz, 59, or the pearly gates.

 

[junkroom studios]

Re: flavorful les paul

I added a JB to my EPI LP and it made a world of difference. Much better crunch and harmonics. Lots of sustain you can play with and much clearer than the stock pup. I left the neck stock as I like it enought for my needs.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: flavorful les paul

Would the JB sound similar to the stock pup? It does have a lot of midrange crunch..

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: flavorful les paul

The stock pickup is a fairly hot (~13K) alnico V unit if I'm not mistaken, while the neck is around 8k alnico V. For the sounds you described, and if you want to keep the output in the same ballpark, go with a C5 in the bridge and a Pearly Gates in the neck. This will give you a beefed up PAF style tone with plenty of clarity and no mud from the neck.

If you want to go low output and want a brighter, stringier response, throw a Jazz in the neck and a Screamin Demon in the bridge.

If you want to really hear the wood of your LP coming through the amp, stay away from the JB. It sounded compressed and honky in my LP and it covered up too much of my guitar's natural tone. I swapped it out for a PGb and am much, much happier.

BTW, the wiring upgrade is a must on Epi's, IMHO.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: flavorful les paul

If you want brighter vintage tone, use a 59b/Jazz n. It sounds to me like you'd dig the C-5/Jazz B. The Pearly Gates neck is good as well. All of those pickups have a natural sounding EQ. If you want a bridge with more low mids, get a CC....more high mids, a JB.